Philosophy (Witt) and Communications (Lillie)

After seeing the play performed for the first time I can say that the work is much better when performed then when read. The reason is not because of the concept or the material, rather because of the way it is performed. The play is all dialogue between different characters all within a room together. Often they’re talking over each other or maybe exchanging in dialogue between more than one individual. When reading, it’s often difficult to understand who is saying what and to whom. When performed the characters are visualized which mirrors reality quite nicely. I was fond of Matthew Rossi who played Karl and Steve, the most controversial characters of their respective acts. Karl being the community representative, dancing along the lines of racial discrimination. 50 years later, Steve, who is the modern version of Karl, is much more direct and almost infuriated by the level of politically correctness in which his wife Lindsey seemingly falsifies in the presence of racial opposition. I was impressed by his reactions and almost giddiness to encounter opposition on a sensitive and agitated matter. Overall I was pleased with the production and its challenge to bring life the racial tensions we still face as a society today. The play offers no mutual compromise but rather a falsified acceptance of the other group which awaits the same conflict in the years to come. Clybourne Park exemplifies that ideological progression is not in the hands of the governing bodies but rather in the hands of the ones who are faced with it. It leaves no promise of solution but only a hope for one.